Bunion shield and corrector.



J. W. ARROWSMITH.

BUNION SHIELD AND 001111301 011.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1911.

Patented July 14,1914

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

gangs w. ZABQOWSMHfH, or mpnms'rowu, NEW JERSEY.

BUNIQN SHIELD AND CQRREC'IOB.

To allwhom it may concern Specification of Letters lfatent. Application filed November 1, i911. Serial No. 657,955.

Be it known that I, JAMES W. AnnowsMrrH, a ,citizen of the United States, and

p ovid a de e c th s h m t whi will be simple, strong and durable in construetion and easy of manipulation and which will protect the affected parts from irritation due to friction or pressure on the most sensitive points, permit the treatment of the same by medication or otherwise and at the same time provide for the correction of the deformity by the gradual restoration of the parts to their normal position and relation.

The invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the said drawings Figure 1 is a plan of the forward portion of a. human foot with a bunion shield and Corrector embodying the improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a perspective of the bunion shield and corrector detached from the footr Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

A is the sole-piece of the device adapted to lie beneath the ball of the foot and to expand to a point beyond the joint of the phalanges of the great, first, second and third toes. Near its forward end it is provided with u right hollow posts B and C, made of stiii' leather or other desirable material and provided with bottom flanges B and C, respectively, by means of which they are securely and rigidly, fastened to the solepiece; These posts are of greater length than width, and are adapted to receive when it is desired a filling of absorbent cotton or other suitable substance to give them a certain degree of elasticity, and also to expand them so as to increase the pressure on the adjacent toes. By placing the device on the foot with these posts collapsed and then filling them from time totime they may be caused to expand and exert a gradually in- Patented July 14, 1914.

creasing pressure tending to restore the toes to their normal position. The sole-piece is also provided with an extension E which may be made integral therewith or of a piece of more flexible material and extends up around the side of the foot and over the upper surface thereof a short distance along the metatarsal to the first phalanx of the great toe. A bulged portion or protuber a co E is provided in this side portion for tie purpose of shaping it to the tuberosity commonly known as the bunion.

lVithin the turned-up side portion E is a pad or cushion F covered by a layer of adhesive plaster or other tough flexible substance F. The cushion may be of absorbent cotton, sponge rubber or other compressible material and it and the covering F may be medicated if desired.

In operation the device is placed on the foot, with the side portion E covering the bunion, the post or toe brace B between the great toe and the second toe and the similar post C between the second and third toes. It will be seen that theseposts are adjacent to the joints of the phalanges and that the cushion F is opposite the joint between the.

first metatarsal and the phalanx. Now as a bunion is usually produced by shoes which are too narrow at the toe or too short for the foot. and tend to force the great toe inward and thus cause the said joint of the phalanx and metatarsal to protrude, in correcting this deformity it is desirable to gradually and without causing unnecessary pain to the wearer to cause the great toe to move outward and at the same time bring the said. joint inward to its proper position. Therefore, by packing the hollow toe braces and exerting a slight pressure against the said joint this may be accomplished, and it is to effectuate this treatment that the improvements are largely intended. The post between the second and third toes is also userestore the affected joint to its normal position. This strap or girdle also assists in holding the shield and corrector in position.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a device of the character described the combination of a sole piece extending from the inetatarsais to the forward phalanx of the great toe, an upright piece mounted thereon at its forward part, and an .extension at the side thertoi extending upward and over the joint of the'great toe phalanx and the first metatarsal, and an expansible band secured to the said sole piece and adapted to extend around the side piece and the foot of the wearer, whereby inward .pressure is exerted on said joint, and means for' causing the said upright piece to exert outward pressure on the inner side of the great toe.

2. In a device of the character'described, the combination of a sole piece having an upward extension at the metatarso-phalangcal joint adapted to be maintained in contact with the outside of the foot atsaid-joint and an upward extension at the inside of the great toe, the said extension outside the foot at the said joint terminating back of the phalangeal great toe joint so as to permit the toe to move freely outward independei'itiythereof, and the said upward exten sion inside the great toe consisting of an expansible tube having, an opening therein, whereby it may receive an expansive filling and be caused to exert an increasing out- Ward pressure on the great toe.

Witness my hand this 24th day of October 191-1, at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York.

JAMES WV. ARROVVSMITH. WVitnesses:

WiLLIAM R. BAIRD,

S. J. Cox. 

